Sixteen more victims emerge in Hafizabad spinal fluid scandal

Equipment, including syringes allegedly used by the gang members to extract spinal fluid – Photo Geo News

HAFIZABAD: At least 16 more women are feared to have fallen victim to a gang accused of extracting spinal fluid from unwilling ‘patients’ and attempting to sell it on the black market.

According to the medical superintendent of DHQ Hospital, Hafizabad, the affected women have been shifted to the hospital for medical tests to determine doctors’ suspicion that their spinal fluid was extracted by the gang.

Syringe marks have been found near the spine of these women, he said.

The four-member gang was busted on Monday after reports surfaced that it had illegally extracted spinal fluid from unwilling women under the pretext of a ‘medical checkup’.

The father of a 17-year-old victim informed the police that a sample had been taken from his daughter by people who claimed they were employees of a hospital and said that the spinal fluid was a necessary part of a medical checkup, which was required for financial assistance for the victim's dowry.

According to the father, his daughter started feeling weak after returning home. He then reported the incident to the police, informing them about the place where her daughter’s ‘medical test’ had taken place.

Police then raided the location in Muhalla Bahawalpura and arrested the gang’s members.

"Gang members pretended to be from the DHQ hospital. The gang consists of three males and a female. We were informed by the victim’s father of her sample being taken on the promise of a dowry package being provided under a government scheme,” said SHO Hafizabad.

Meanwhile, DPO Hafizabad has announced to complete investigation into the scandal within three days.

Federal Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said the matter was baffling as it was not easy to extract spinal fluid. She vowed that the culprits would be punished and the probe would be taken to its logical conclusion.